Shoe-clasp



(No Model.)

H. s. PULLMAN.

SHOE CLASP.

No. 362,040. Patented Apr. 26, 1887.

1L PETERS, Phatn-Lilhugnpher, W-nhingwn. o. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT S. PULLMAN, OF ROCKVILLE, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO JOSEPH C. HAMMOND, OF SAME PLACE, AND THEODORE E. KING, OF WESTPORT,

CONNECTICUT.

SHOE-CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 362,040, dated April 26, 1887.

Application filed February 25, 1887. Serial No. 228,806. (No model.)

T aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT S. PULLMAN, of Rockville, in the county of Tolland and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Clasps,

of which the following is a full, clear, and ex act description, whereby any one skilled in the art can make and use the same.

My invention relates to the class of shoe 1o clasps and buckles that are composed of two or more parts attached to opposite edges, and adapted to engage each other for holding together a shoe, coat, or like article of wearingapparel. In such structures it has been common to use a tongue on the one part and a plate with a series of openings on the opposite part, the several holes in the catch-plate or taken p plate being for the purpose of adj ustment. 111 using such a clasp on a shoe the catch-plate is fastened to the shoe by a strap looped through an openingat one end of the plate, leaving the other openings for the reception of the tongue, and the whole length of the catch-plate extends beyond the attach- 2 ing-strap. \Vhen a shoe having such a shoeclasp is fitted to the foot of a wearer, and it is found that the proper fit of the shoe is obtained by passing the tongue through the third hole from the end of the catch-plate, if the 0 tongue shouldbe inserted in front or rear of the proper one the shoe will be too loose or too tight, and it is necessary to try several times before the right opening is found in put-ting on the article at different times.

It is the object of my invention to provide a take-up plate that is extensible and has but a single hole for the reception of the tongue,

means being provided for maintaining the proper length of the take-up when the latter is once ascertained.

To this end my improvement consists of a base-plate and a sliding member, the one being provided with a series of openings and the other with a projecting lip or catch; and it further consists in details of these parts and their combination in a shoe-clasp, as more particularly hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a top view of a catch-plate embodying my improve- 0 ment. Fig. 2 is a view of the bottom side of the same plate. Fig. 3 is a detail view 1n lengthwise section through the plate, a connected tongue-plate, a tongue, and attachingstraps by which the parts are fastened to a 5 5 shoe. Fig. 4 is a view of the blank used to form the base-piece of the take-up plate.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter a denotes a base-plate, preferably made of sheetmetal, out and-bent to shape in a single piece, the flat blank having the loop a. at one end, with a slot for the reception of the attachingstrap, or any convenient means or device for enabling the plate to be attached to an article of wearingapparel. formed on the opposite end of the blank,wh1le the slot a is formed across the width of the blank. This blank is folded so that the slot is presented on the front edge of the plate, while the spring-arm lies under and along the plate, its inner end lying adjacent to or hearing a catch, 1), that is preferably formed of the substance of the plate. In the form shown, this catch b is formed by bending down a lip from the baseplate adjacent to the slot that receives the attaching-strap.

In folding the plate the front edge is preferably rounded,so as to afford the proper'spring action when the upper and lower parts of the plate are forced apart depthwise. A sliding member, 0, is made, preferably,of sheet metal, cut to shape with a hole, b,usual1yin the form v of a slot, across the outer end,and at intervals along the body of this sliding member are formed a series of openings or sockets, (2, into which the catch 1) projects as this sliding memher is thrust through the opening in the edge of the base-plate, and between the under side of the plate and the back-turned spring-arm. In order to facilitate the sliding of this member c inward, the forward edge of the sockets b on their upper side may be beveled off, as at b,while the back edge of each socket is square with the surface of the member, so as to present a secure hold for the catch.

The construction above described is that preferred by me; but-I do not limit myself to making the base-plate of a single piece, as it is The spring arm a is 6 evident that the spring-arm may be formed of a separate piece of metal clamped or otherwise fastened to the top-plate.

In using my device the catch plate is attached to a strap, 6, that passes through the loop at one end, While the tongue-plate bearing a tongue, as shown, or other convenient device for engaging the opening on the end of the sliding member, is fastened, as by a strap or rivet, to the opposite part of the article on which the device is used. By pressing down upon the middle of the base-plate with one finger, while the outer end of the sliding memher is held in the hand, the latter may be disengaged from the catch and slid outward or extended to its whole length.- The hole in the end of the sliding member is then engaged by the tongue or its equivalent part and the sliding member slid backward along the base-plate until the shoe or like article fits properly. Having thus found the proper length of the clasp-plate,its length need not be again changed until the article becomes looser in fit, and as but one hole for engaging the tongue is presented no time is lost by clasping the parts in the wrong hole.

It is obvious that the spring-arm may belocated along the top as well as along the under side of the base-plate, in which case the catch will extend, of course, toward the opposite member and across the space between them; but I prefer the form shown.

I claim as my invention- 1. In combination with a base-plate having the connected spring -arm lying below the plate and normally pressing toward it, the catch device formed on the base-plate, and the sliding member with a series of sockets and adapted to slide lengthwise beneath the base-plate and between it and the spring, all substantially as described.

2. In combination with a base-piece having the connected spring-arm lying adjacent to and normally pressing toward it, the catch proj ecting across the space between the base-plate and the spring-arm, and the sliding member 0, having a series of sockets adapted to engage the catch and movable lengthwise between the base-plate and the spring-arm, all substantially as described.

3. In combination with the base-plate a, having a loop a, an integral spring-arm, a, folded back along the plate, and having also the slot of on the forward edge of the plate, and the integral catch b, the sliding member 0, with the slot Z), and the catch-holes d, all substantially as described.

HER-BERT S. PULLM AN.

*1 tn esses:

CHARLES NV. 7001), GELoN W. Wnsr. 

